Rexach doubts Cesc deal

Barca made two bids for Fabregas last year but Arsenal refused to negotiate and insisted their captain would remain at Emirates Stadium. Even so, many believed he would depart at the end of the current season, and Xavi said this week that Fabregas "has to end up here".

However, with Barca currently in fine form and with limited transfer funds, Rexach believes there is now little prospect of them pushing for a deal.

"It will be difficult to bring Cesc back now," he said in the Daily Mail. "Firstly, because of the money it would cost, but also because Barca have young players coming through in that position who are very good and we have to look at that, too.

"It would be different if there was no-one else in that position - then they would have to pay the money to get him - but there are others coming through in the team.

He added: "The reality is that Cesc left Barcelona because he wanted to. This is what hurt people, that he said, 'I'm the one who wants to leave'.

"If he had stayed here he probably would have won more, but it was the same with [Gerard] Pique. He went to England to Manchester United and he didn't play well there, so we could buy him back quite cheap.

"Barca players never really want to leave but at that time the coaches weren't picking players from the Barca B and they feared there wouldn't be opportunities."

Alex Song believes Fabregas is only likely to stay in London if Arsenal can deliver a major trophy.

"We have to win a big trophy to keep Cesc, that's what I think," Song said.
"He has progressed even more, everyone can see that, but what's important is that he has love for the club.

"That's something I'm sure of, but he can't wait forever. When I see some of the passes he provides, you have to admire them. I sometimes go up to him and say, 'How did you do that?'